We started Suntouched to pay homage to the salty sandy beach hair and the carefree nomadic beach lifestyle.
Driven by our deep gratitude for the ocean and the desire to give back, we strove to create a clean sustainable brand and leave a positive impact on the planet.
From the very start, we were putting sustainability at the core of our operations, using it as a guiding principle for how we formulate our products. From the early stages of our business, we only used ingredients that are good both for you and the planet – clean vegan cruelty-free, with zero parabens or alcohol, as well as only BPA-free, 100% composed of recycled materials, recyclable packaging.
And although we were doing everything we promised ourselves we would, somehow that didn’t feel like enough. We knew there were other ways to help our planet and give back, so we set out to find them.
That’s when we came across 1% for the Planet.
1% for the Planet is a global network of businesses, individuals, and nonprofit organizations tackling our planet's most pressing environmental issues.
When you become a member, 1% for the Planet matches you with environmental nonprofits that align with your brand values and makes it easy for you to donate to the cause of your choice.
From the moment we learned about 1% for the Planet, we knew it was a great organization for Suntouched. That’s why starting from July 1st 2022, we'll be partnering with them to donate 1% of our revenue to environmental nonprofits.
As part of our community of Sunseekers, you’ll get to choose which organization we’ll donate to every quarter. That way, we’re hoping to strengthen the culture of mutually shared responsibility and increase our brand’s transparency in how we give back.
To participate in the decision-making process, make sure you follow us on Instagram and are subscribed to our newsletter. We’ll post polls on our IG stories and send question forms through email.
There were a few reasons why we chose 1% for the Planet over others
Easy Way To Find The Right Nonprofit
1% for the Planet offers a pool of highly vetted organizations so we don’t have to worry about the vetting process and instead focus on the impact. Those organizations include POW (Protect Our Winters), Plastic Pollution Coalition, Rainforest Trust, and hundreds of others. 1% for the Planet makes it easy to navigate different nonprofits through a directory where you can filter nonprofits by cause, location, or issue area.
This way, we’re able to spend less time negotiating our terms and managing our communications with nonprofit organizations and instead focus on giving back.
Trusted By The Top Companies
1% for the Planet is trusted by companies like Patagonia, Boxed Water, and Pukka among thousands of others.
Having those companies whose brand philosophy we relate to and resonate with back up 1% for the Planet was big enough cred for us to further deepen our trust in the organization.
Paying Rent to Our Planet
As we were looking through the 1% for the Planet website, we came across this phrase by the CEO of the organization, Kate Williams, “Businesses should pay rent to our Planet”.
We deeply connected with that simple yet perspective-changing idea –
The idea that just like paying for any other resources you use as a business, including your office, electricity, public goods and services, you must also pay for the resources you take from our Planet.
Learning about this idea that defines the essence of this organization was yet another reason we found partnering with 1% for the Planet an organic and logical step for our business.
More Than One Way To Contribute
The best part of becoming a 1% for the Planet’s member is that you get to choose the way you contribute by opting for different memberships. At Suntouched, we're going to donate 1% of our yearly revenue to four different nonprofits throughout the year, but that’s not the only option.
First, you can donate as a whole company. That means that 1% of total sales across the company’s operations will go to the nonprofits of your choice.
Second, if your business has multiple brands or business entities with distinct names and branding, you can join with one or multiple brands.
Finally, if you want to start smaller, 1% for the Planet also makes it possible to build your commitment with a product line as an on-ramp to brand or whole company membership.
Whichever option you choose, your commitment will amount to only 1% of annual sales.
And they don’t stop there. As a business, each year, 1/2 of your total 1% donation can come in the form of employee volunteer time and/or in-kind product or service donations, or approved promotional support.
The way 1% for the Planet takes the hassle out of donating is what really made the decision to join the network easy for us at Suntouched.
When you become a business member, 1% for the Planet helps you find environmental nonprofits that align with your values, your brand and that make the biggest impact in your industry.
With 1% for the Planet, you don’t need any intermediaries – you support your nonprofit partner(s) directly and 1% for the Planet works as a guide to help forge meaningful relationships with your partners.
Another important part of joining the network is that 1% for the Planet certifies all member donations. They legitimize the commitment of each member by reviewing and confirming sales and donation details annually.
In other words, they set the stage for you, guiding you every step of the way, and all it takes to start contributing is showing up.
We realize there’s no limit to how we can help the planet as a business. We’re joining 1% for the Planet in the hope to lead other brands in our industry by example and make our modest contribution to this planet we call home.
If you want to be part of this mission we’re undertaking, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter. Every quarter, we’ll be posting polls on our IG stories and sending you question forms via email, so you can choose which nonprofit we donate to that time.
